Mobile Cannon(Gunslinger)Four-legged races face unique challenges when they wish to pursue the way of the gun. Those trained as a mobile cannon trade finesse for raw power, leveraging their enhanced ability to endure heavy loads to their advantage.

Quadrupedal Reload (Ex): Mobile cannons may attach two handed firearms to their weapon rack. Any such weapon can be reloaded and fired by the gunslinger as long as they have a single hand available(even if that happens to be a mouth in the case of most ponykind).

Heavy Calibre (Ex): At 3rd level, a mobile cannon learns to use their namesake. They may use a two handed firearm that is one size larger than they are. Attacks with this oversized weapon suffer a -5 penalty. This replaces Nimble.

Double Cannon (Ex): At 9th level, a mobile cannon can attach two two handed firearms to their weapon rack. This is handled as per two weapon fighting and the gunslinger is considered to have the two-weapon fighting feat. The off-hand firearm is handled as light, unless it is oversized. This replaces the 8th level bonus feat and the gun training upgrade at levels 9 and 13.

Manic Reload (Ex): At 15th level, a mobile cannon can spend a grit point to increase their reload speed by one step until the start of their next action. This replaces the deed gained at level 15.

grimAuxilliam wrote:I may have tried to mount a ballista onto my homebrew troll so he can become mobile artillery.

That would have been awesome.

Anyway, very nice. I normally don't like archetypes because they take away or change something I find useful about the class in question, but this makes earth pony Gunslingers viable. I like what you've come up with, David. An epic level Cannoneer/Fighter would be a terror on the battlefield.

Ooh, idea. Epic level earth pony Cannoneer/Fighter/Ranger/Horizon Walker/Legendary Dreadnought trained for ranged combat and their highest Weapon Training bonus on guns and Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization on guns that shoot at the distance they intend to shoot and still pack the punch they aim for on a successful hit. With favored terrain, terrain mastery, and terrain dominance in desert terrain so they never get tired, and Two-Weapon Fighting up to Perfect to maximize the number of attacks per round they get. Favored Enemy bonuses increase the damage they do further. Legendary Dreadnought makes them harder kill by giving them Damage Reduction and extra HP on top of the class's d12 Hit Die. High DEX, 25 for Distant Shot and Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting, and CON, 25 to qualify for Armor Skin, Damage Reduction, and Fast Healing, would be a must for this build, while high INT means they can train more skills, and WIS of at least 14 gives them access to all levels of Ranger spells, but more would equal more grit and bonus spells.

I see such a build wearing medium armor at the heaviest for AC and movement, or no armor at all so as to maximize mobility, making epic defensive feats like Armor Skin, Damage Reduction, and Fast Healing a must either way, while a high DEX increases their AC. Distant Shot enables ranged combatants who meet the requirements to throw or fire ranged weapons at any target within line of sight, good for archers of any class and Gunslingers alike, with no penalty for range, leaving it all up to factors such as cover and the character's training.

With 20 levels of Fighter as printed, the Cannoneer gets +4 to hit and damage with their guns in addition to the bonuses provided by Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, Greater Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Specialization, Epic Weapon Focus, and Epic Weapon Specialization, they automatically confirm critical threats, increase their critical damage multiplier by one step, and they cannot be disarmed while wielding the weapon, or weapons if the same, they chose when reaching Fighter level 20. This training would enable the Cannoneer to use an oversized and regular version of the same type of gun and reap the full benefits of Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting. If they wore armor, they could have more of their DEX bonus on their AC and lower armor check penalties thanks to the Fighter's Armor Training, and at Fighter level 19, they get DR 5/- when wearing armor.

Ranger levels mostly serve to pick up Two-Weapon Fighting without actually meeting the requirements, so long as they wear no heavier than medium armor, of course, but the ability to track enemies and influence animals adds versatility, while some spells they know help them help the party's primary arcane and divine spellcasters support the party outside of combat.

Horizon Walker gives the character in question bonuses in lands they favor. Desert terrain once mastered and dominated makes the character immune to exhaustion and fatigue and grant resistance to fire. Plains mastery means their speed is not reduced when wearing medium armor or carrying a medium load, while dominance means they move faster. What this class does for the character is up to the player and the campaign the character is involved in, though I do suggest picking desert for favored terrain, terrain mastery, and terrain dominance regardless of campaign or being in a desert or not as the character who does so becomes immune to fatigue and exhaustion, which is useful for any adventuring character.

With a d12 Hit Die, the ability to add +20 to attempts to break walls or doors or other such things, +20 to rolls made to resist such things as being grabbed with the improved grab ability or any ability physical or magical that would move them, 12 extra HP every 5 levels, and DR 3/- every 5 levels, the Legendary Dreadnought Epic Prestige Class makes a Cannoneer more like a tank. Especially if they'd already been taking Armor Skin, Damage Reduction, and Fast Healing well in advance of beginning training in this class.

David wrote:Quadrupedal Reload (Ex): Mobile cannons may attach two handed firearms to their weapon rack. Any such weapon can be reloaded and fired by the gunslinger as long as they have a single hand available(even if that happens to be a mouth in the case of most ponykind).

It's not mentioned here - I assume this is available at level 1, but does it replace anything?

Out of wondering, are you going to use or consider multiple shot types? Like grapeshot for a shotgun effect, or a dragons breath for a small fireball style one? To consider the use that they would likely be using some big firearms, or others? (forgot to have the topic followed)

You can use whatever crazy ammunition the rules, and your GM, allow for. All I've done is let four-legged souls use two-handed guns, and to use oversized(+1 size) versions of the same. So load up a blunderbuss on there and let the lead fly.